<iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/18270659/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/B47751/" height="90" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Have you ever heard of a pelvic floor physical therapist? If not, this episode is for you. As women, we’re often told that peeing your pants and having painful sex during pregnancy or after birth is normal. While it may be common, it doesn’t have to be your new normal. Over the years, I’ve become so passionate about helping women understand how crucial pelvic PTs are, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. Our guest today, Sara Reardon, is an expert on this topic.
Sara Reardon is a doctor of physical therapy graduating from Washington University in St Louis and board-certified women’s health physical therapist. Sara specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, painful sex, and pregnancy and postpartum recovery. She is the owner of NOLA Pelvic Health, a pelvic health physical therapy clinic in New Orleans, La. and founder of The Vagina Whisperer, an online resource for pelvic health education to support, empower and educate women worldwide. She is a mom to two boys, wife, Saints fan and wanna-be yogi.
In this episode we discuss:
- What the pelvic floor is and how you can best support it
- The most common issues seen postpartum pertaining to the pelvic floor
- When to seek help during pregnancy and postpartum
- Whether or not you should do exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor
- Why painful sex occurs during the postpartum period and what you can do about it
- The correlation between a weak pelvic floor and lower back pain
Resources from this episode:
- Sara’s website
- Online Telehealth Sessions
- Pregnancy and Pelvic Floor Fitness Program
- Find a Pelvic Floor Therapist
- Online Courses
- Gumbo Recipe
- Squatty Potty
More about Sara:
- She is a twin and youngest of 4
- Born and raised in New Orleans and left for 17 years and returned 3 years ago with my family
- She lost her childhood home in Hurricane Katrina
- In 2020 over quarantine, she developed an online pregnancy and pelvic floor fitness program with a fitness pro to help expecting moms stay strong and prepared for birth.
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